Pioneering beginnings of fluorine chemistry research at the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Abstract

The article presents a historical personal account of the pioneering development of fluorine chemistry at the Jožef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana. The origins of this research date back to the early 1950s, when the Department of Fuel and UF6 was established. Early work included the development of electrolytic cells for the production of elemental fluorine and the synthesis of fluorine-containing compounds under challenging laboratory conditions. In the early 1960s, the group successfully synthesized XeF4 and XeF6, contributing to the emerging field of noble-gas chemistry. Subsequent research expanded to photochemical fluorination reactions and to the synthesis and characterization of numerous complex fluorides. The article highlights the scientific achievements of the group, the development of specialized experimental equipment, and the role of international collaboration in establishing the Jožef Stefan Institute as an internationally recognized center for fluorine chemistry.